There is a lot of support for consolidating the licensing of marijuana businesses into one state agency. It seems like a simple concept, but the devil has been in the details. Referred to as the “integration” bill, there are too many visions at present to reach a consensus. So the JointMarijuana Committee is taking a break from this issue and plans to let the dust settle for a week or two. In the meantime, a draft report from the Oregon State Police on marijuana impacts in Oregon has highlighted the ongoing fact that Oregon remains a top source of interstate and international blackmarket marijuana, which places Oregon at greater risk of federal intervention, and further highlights the need for the integration bill, and accountability within the very leaky Oregon medical marijuana supply system. It remains to be seen whether an integration bill will emerge this legislative session, although it will likely be more difficult to accomplish in future sessions, since it is anticipated that the Joint Marijuana Committee will not be reauthorized after this year.
Contributed by: Rob Bovett, AOC legal counsel